Chef Paolo was absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed everything! (CA)

I very much enjoyed the cooking school in Portovenere. Chef Paolo was absolutely great. He was professional and had a great sense of humor and made the classes fun. I appreciated the way he utilized authentic and fresh Italian ingredients of the region, used simple preparation methods and created beautiful and tasty foods. The tours of the Parmigiana Reggiano plant and the Parma Ham facility were fascinating and outstanding. Our accommodations at the Grand Hotel Portovenere were very nice. Everything was well organized and delivered as promised. I would highly recommend the package to everyone who really wants to learn about authentic northern Italian cuisine in a lovely setting. I only regret that I did not schedule more time to spend in the Cinque Terre area so I could visit all five villages. Thanks so much. (Iowa)

The cooking school with Chef Paolo was more than we expected. From the location in Portovenere to the classes and tours, all were first class! Paolo is a gifted chef as well as instructor. Through demonstrations and hands on opportunities, we learned how to prepare delicious dishes that I will be able to do at home. The Grand Hotel Portovenere offered comfortable accommodations with great service. Our room had a postcard view of the village and harbor. Paolo served as a gracious host all week taking us on the tours to the wineries, cheese dairy, markets, as well as joining us each evening for dinner. The class of 12 was an interesting group from around the USA. Over all I would rate it a '10'! (WA)

The cooking class and Paolo were outstanding! Lots and lots of cooking- even more eating! Overall it was an excellent holiday. (TX)

Badia Coltibuono - Tuscany

The cooking school experience exceeded our expectations! Everything about it, from the location to the family to the chef and the restaurant was beyond description, and we would highly recommend it to anyone. It was an intensive 3 days and we learned so much. The rooms in the abbey were very comfortable and we were told over and over again to make ourselves at home, The wine and olive oil that they produce there is superb also. (NJ)

One Day Cooking in Florence with Silvia Macarri

The cooking class was the highlight of our trip. Silvia was very nice. We toured the food market in Florence and then went to a baker. We picked up a lot of great ideas!

I really enjoyed my cooking class with Silvia, She is a wonderful and lady and I highly recommend taking the class. I wish I had scheduled another day with her. I will have to wait for my next trip to Italy, which hopefully wouldn't be too far away!

Silvia was fabulous! I really enjoyed her and shopping in the market. I can now make risotto. It was great! D. C.(CA)

Silvia is terrific and a delight to be with! J. S.(CA)

We loved Marisa and Sandro and the apartment at La Casa di San Donato was perfect. It was quaint and comfortable and provided everything we needed. The location was terrific as it was so close to Radda. We enjoyed walking around and eating in the cafes there. We also went to the local market and stocked up on food and wine for our apartment.

The wine tasting at Franca's was wonderful. She is so much fun. It was a great opportunity for us to become acquainted with our fellow classmates (who were loads of fun).

The first cooking class was at Franca's the following night. What a wonderful piece of property she has. The dishes that we made were amazing, and she and Simonetta were terrific at getting everyone involved.

Our second class was at Simonetta's. Again a most enjoyable night. We learned how to make Gelato!!! (A highlight for me). Plus many other mouthwaters dishes.

The final class was at Marisa's. Again..... Fabulous! All in all everything was perfect! (TX)

We loved it. We all had a most wonderful time. Simonetta & Friends were like family. We were lucky to be there for the World Cup as well. (NY)

One Day Cooking in Positano - Amalfi coast

The two days I spent with Chef Salvatore and his pastry chef, Velia, were really special. We made some homemade pasta and we also did several very nice fish dishes. I had a great time and both Salvatore and Velia were super!!! Carol(MD)

Chef Salvatore and his staff greeted me with open arms and immediately accepted me into their fold. I felt like on of the family. For the ultimate in unpretentious cooking experiences, Il Ritrovo, should be at the top of anyone's list! Pastry chef Velia is talented, energetic and a delight to work with. I spent an entire day together creating incredible desserts and savory works of genius. Gigi (CA)

We attending a cooking class at one of the area's best restaurants. Everyone made us feel immediately comfortable and we had such a great time making several delicious pasta dishes and a wonderful dessert. When the food was prepared, we sat in the main dining room and enjoyed the meal together. We felt as though this experience put us in touch with the 'real Italy'. We got so much out of spending that day with people who live and work there, and for that one day, we felt a part of the culture rather than just observing it as a tourist or bystander. Kathy and Max(NJ)

Toscana Saporita - Tuscany

"Far exceeded even my most optimistic expectations" NY

"Like being invited to someone's home" MA

"A real insider experience" TX

EVERYTHING was wonderful. We loved it! They were terrific teachers and we loved the entire experience. We have already cooked many of the meals we learned there. The teaching was at a good level and pace and the presentation of the food at lunch and dinner was excellent. It was extremely special and we're very very happy we chose to do this for our honeymoon. I would recommend this without hesitation to anyone. (Mary Beth - Chicago)

Toscana Saporita was a great program!. The location was a little bit of Tuscan heaven. The instructor chefs were knowledgeable and fun. Instruction was hands on with the finest toos and ingredients. The other students were fun to be with and interesting. I would do it again in a minute! (NY)

Cooking in Rapallo with Fausto

The highlight of this trip was the cooking class with Fausto....he is so talented and what an entertainer! His place is high on a hill above Rapallo. Beuatiful surroundings, a vegetable and herb garden. We made many different breads, soup, pasta, lamb plus sorbet with cherries picked fresh from his trees. Later we all returned for an exquisite dinner; he emerged from the kitchen with a different hat for each new course he served. The walls of the restaurant are covered with signed original cartoons from famous artists all over the world. (PA)

Customized Itinerary

You did well in recommending the Hotel De La Ville in Florence....excellent service, large rooms and great location. (PA)

Gourmet Getaways helped us put a great week-long itinerary together for our visit to Florence. She pointed us in all the right directions - from a guided tour through Tuscany, to wonderful Florentine restaurants and some great insider shopping tips throughout the city. Her expertise and attention to the details were invaluable and made our visit to Florence something that we will never forget.(NJ)

Seeing Italy was always a dream of mine. Gourmet Getaways helped to make it a reality. Marlene Iaciofano guided the process every step of the way, making sure that this trip would be the best, not only for me, but for my entire family as well. We found all the accommodations she suggested to have excellent service, facilities, and of course, food. We had no trouble at all traveling by rental car or by train, since these preparations had been arranged by Gourmet Getaways before we left the U.S. Marlene’s travel tips including restaurants and shopping suggestions were also right on the money. I am looking forward to my next trip and would not hesitate to use Gourmet Getaways or recommend its services to anyone. (NJ)

Because of our love for food and wine, my husband and I had Gourmet Getaways plan our amazing honeymoon in Italy this May. Gourmet getaways did a fabulous job of recommending elegant hotels in ideal areas, planning private tours to vineyards and planning cooking lessons in a private villa with a world renowned chef. We went from Tuscany, to the Amalfi Coast (AMAZING) and then to Rome. My husband and I truly feel that Italy might be a piece of heaven on earth!!! Thank you Gourmet Getaways for making our honeymoon be everything we have dreamed of! (NJ)

Cooking in Southern Tuscany

Rhode School of Cuisine – Tuscany